Footing in a Show

One of my favorite and first memories about barefooting is from quite a while back, 1991 to be exact. I had learned how to barefoot earlier that summer and I was admittedly still a little rough around the edges when it came to my barefooting prowess. I was maybe 50/50 doing deeps in good water. My parents boat just didn’t have the power to pull me at barefooting speeds so I didn’t get many opportunities to go footing.

It was our last show of the season (Labor Day weekend) and in typically Law Park fashion, we were going to skiing our show in what would nearly be white caps. No one was jumping up and down saying I want to do the barefoot flyer off the dock. I said I’d do it, but was honest and said I might not make it with the water. We had a small contingent of skiers left so they decided to write me in to the spot.

Show time comes, I’m standing on the dock watching my rope feed out. It comes tight and I run off the dock throwing my feet in the air. I hit the water, the boat goes up to speed and plant my feet and manage to stand up, at least just a little bit, still buried in a ball of white spray. But I had stood up, barefooting, making it through the show course in the rough water before ending my run with a face plant at the other end of show course. This was the first time I had successfully barefooted in a show.

I swim in to the shore and crawl up the rocks the make up our shoreline, big smile on my face. The people sitting there on the shore all congratulated me in one way or another saying nice job, or what not. I may have only footed 20 feet after I stood up, but it was still a big rush.